I can tell you how some of them ship much cheaper. Let's say I am hauling a load from Atlanta to New Jersey. I get on U-ship and look for other possible shipments along the way. If the person wanting to ship the item is flexible to my dates, then I can line up other shipments on the way, and back for that matter to reduce my expenses. When I reduce my expenses I increase my profits.
This is why some of the bidders want a "window" in which they can pick up and deliver. If your flexibility is open and I can have several days to line up other pickups along the way that are also flexible, providing I have room for them, this leaves me in much better shape. Some times it is worth picking up something just to help with fuel costs.
It's called surviving. An independent hauler can be more flexible on costs if he can pick up enough on the way to make it worth while. A large company, even though they can guarantee a specific date of pick-up and delivery, has to charge more to cover the operational costs. Trucks don't run on water. Vehicle maintenance, tires, batteries, insurance, etc, mount up in a hurry. If I need to pick up a large load that requires a larger trailer..... more tires, more wear, more expense.
I have seen drivers that will stop and pick up a small load just to help out fuel costs. It can sometimes mean whether they can have a decent meal or just a plain hamburger from McDonalds. it is all the bottom line. Sometimes you will make a load and seem to lose money just to get to another load that pays better.
I have been known to post on U-ship as a hauler and a shipper. If I am going to a particular location I can pick something up on the way and charge less. I have also posted for bids on U-ship because I can sometimes have things transported for less than I can make the trip for myself.
I personally don't have anything against Brokers, but I will tell you this. When you get a Broker, you are essentially paying him to do the same thing you are doing. He will post on U-ship for bids to haul the load. I found out when I posted a shipment for bids. I was looking through the shipments for bid to see if I could possibly find another shipment that I might possibly pick up and go after mine myself. I found MY shipment that was posted by a broker that had bid on my shipment. He had found someone that would haul it for $100 less than he had bid on my load for. The Broker had offered me a military discount of $50, which would had left him $50 just for posting for bids for my shipment. There are "Brokers" that sit in front of their computers all day looking for shipments and re-post them. They have nothing at all to do with trucking or shipping other than to do that. After so many feedbacks, like ebay, they build their reputation, and their reputation is how they get more business. They are not necessarily truckers.
I hope someone can make sense of what I have written on here, after reading it I am confused myself.
Ed
